MRS. LAURA BUSH, GOVERNOR LINGLE UNVEIL NATIVE HAWAIIAN NAME FOR NORTHWESTERN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS MARINE NATIONAL MONUMENT

For Immediate Release:  March 2, 2007

HONOLULU – Mrs. Laura Bush, joined by Governor Linda Lingle and Lt. Governor James R. “Duke” Aiona, Jr., today unveiled the new Hawaiian name for the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) Marine National Monument.  Mrs. Bush, who visited the NWHI’s Midway Atoll, Eastern Island and Sand Island for the first time yesterday, announced the new name as Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, which symbolizes the genealogy of the Hawaiian Islands.

“The monument reflects the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands’ important role in human history,” said Mrs. Bush.  “Hundreds of years before Columbus crossed the Atlantic, early Polynesians sailed the vast expanse of the Pacific. They erected sacred shrines that remain intact today, providing a cultural link between ancient Hawaiians and their descendants. When President Bush established the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument, he pledged that the atolls’ cultural significance would be reflected in a native Hawaiian name.

“The name Papahānaumokuākea — adopted after consultation with native Hawaiian elders — suggests the abundance and timelessness of life in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands,” said Mrs. Bush.  “Most important, the name reminds us of our responsibility to malama ka pae ‘aina — care for the archipelago.”

“The naming of these islands represents another historic milestone in the seamless partnership among state and federal governments, environmental conservationists, and native Hawaiian organizations to protect this special island chain while preserving its natural and cultural resources for future generations,” said Governor Lingle.

“Mrs. Bush’s announcement today honors so many individuals who have dedicated their lives to preserving the cultural legacy of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and our host culture,” Governor Lingle said.  “Equally important, Mrs. Bush’s visit to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, demonstrates her personal commitment to protecting the natural and historical resources of the Hawaiian archipelago.”

Today’s announcement was held at Washington Place, the historic former home of Hawai‘i’s last reigning monarch, Queen Lili‘uokalani.  Participants included Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne, Deputy Secretary of Commerce David Sampson, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality Jim Connaughton and Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources Director Peter Young.  The event was also attended by native Hawaiian leaders and environmental conservationists, and featured traditional oli (chant) and hula.

The name Papahānaumokuākea comes from an ancient Hawaiian tradition concerning the genealogy and formation of the Hawaiian Islands. Papahānaumoku (who is personified in the earth) and Wākea (who is personified in the expansive sky) were two of the most recognized native Hawaiian ancestors.  Their union resulted in the creation or “birthing” of the entire Hawaiian archipelago.  “Papa” which means “foundation earth,” provides the imagery of the numerous low flat islands that stretch across the ocean into the northwest.  “Ākea” provides the imagery of the “expanse – of space.”  From Mauna “Ākea” on Hawai`i Island to the low flat “Papa” of the northwest, the physical features define the Hawaiian Islands and the identity of the Hawaiian people.  The preservation of these names together, as Papahānaumokuākea, strengthens Hawai`i’s cultural foundation and grounds native Hawaiians to an important part of their historical past.

The new name fulfills a commitment made by President George W. Bush on June 15, 2006, when he designated the NWHI as a Marine National Monument.  At that time, he said the federal government would work with native Hawaiian leaders to give the monument a native Hawaiian name in recognition of the cultural ties native Hawaiians have to the islands and surrounding waters. 

The name is a result of a collaborative effort between State and federal agencies and the Native Hawaiian Cultural Working Group, whose members have longstanding interest and involvement in the region.  The members of the working group included cultural practitioners, scholars and teachers and resource managers who have extensive experience in working directly with issues concerning the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.  Government agencies that participated in the naming process include the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Hawaiian Relations, Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve Commission, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA).

Governor Lingle and the State of Hawai‘i have demonstrated strong support for the protection of the NWHI.  In September 2005, after a three-and-a-half-year public process that resulted in more than 25,000 public comments, Governor Lingle established a State Marine Refuge in the NWHI that set aside all State waters as a limited access, no-take marine protected area.  This created the largest marine conservation area in the history of the State, protecting 1,026 square miles of coral reefs from the shoreline to three miles offshore.  The Administration also worked closely with the federal government to ensure similar protections at the national level, which culminated with the President’s designation of the NWHI as a marine national monument.

In December of that year, Governor Lingle, Jim Connaughton, Jean-Michel Cousteau, founder and president of Ocean Futures, and other federal and state officials visited the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge. 

In March 2006, Governor Lingle also hosted the world premiere of Cousteau’s “Voyage to Kure,” a documentary film following the journey of the noted ocean explorer.  The following month, President and Mrs. Bush held a screening of the documentary at the White House. 

The Lingle-Aiona Administration is proactively pursuing the designation of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument as a World Heritage Site.  Less than 150 sites on the planet have been granted this internationally significant designation by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Papahānaumokuākea is the largest marine protected area in the world.  It encompasses nearly 140,000 square miles – more than 100 times larger than Yosemite National Park and larger than the collective land area of 46 states.  The island chain is home to more than 7,000 marine species, a quarter of which are found nowhere else on earth.  It is the primary habitat for critically endangered Hawaiian monk seals, green sea turtles, land and sea birds and plants species. 

A video of this naming ceremony is available on Governor Lingle's Web site at www.hawaii.gov/gov.

• Read a fact sheet here.

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For more information, contact:
Lenny Klompus  
Senior Advisor – Communications
Phone: (808) 586-7708

Russell Pang
Chief of Media Relations
Phone: (808) 586-0043

Peter Young
Director, DLNR
Phone: (808) 587-0401